Open mike 26/07/2016

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, July 26th, 2016 - 68 comments
Categories: open mike - Tags:

openmikeOpen mike is your post.

For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).

Step up to the mike …

68 comments on “Open mike 26/07/2016 ”

  1. Paul 1

    The horrific attacks in Germany all have one thing in common

    The reality is that Germany has suffered a series of attacks which are equally worrying but which apparently have little in common. While more information will no doubt come out in the coming days, the causes of each case could so far be summed up as follows:

    Psychological instability mixed with neo-Nazi inspirations.
    Inspiration from Daesh.
    A record of violent behaviour.
    Suicidal tendencies with a link to Daesh.
    One factor in common, however, is that the attackers were all people who almost certainly felt marginalised within German society. Those responsible for the events in Ansbach, Reutlingen and Würzburg, meanwhile, also had an extra element in common – that they’d all previously lived in countries with recent histories of extremely violent conflict. But all four people had very real psychological issues, whether these were related to marginalisation or the horrors of war.

    Whenever there’s injustice, marginalisation, and/or indoctrination, there’s also desperation, anger, hatred, and/or mental torment. And violence is just one consequence of these feelings – whether it manifests itself as neo-Nazi attacks, Daesh-inspired attacks, or any other kind of attack.

    If Germany is to avoid another week like the one it’s just had, one action it can and must take is to pay much more attention to the psychological needs of the most vulnerable people in its society – no matter where they were born.

    http://www.thecanary.co/2016/07/25/horrific-attacks-germany-one-thing-common/

  2. Paul 2

    Assad the tyrant?

    Consider: Ukraine and Greece .. Iraq, Libya and Syria … Bolivia, Venezuela and a string of other nations whose policies displeased Washington and Wall Street. Great overarching narratives on the governance of these nations are built – prior to interventions overt or covert – on the back of dodgy evidence. By weight of repetition, and through the sober intonations of politicians and ‘impartial experts’, these narratives acquire the status of unassailable truth. I’ve heard experienced academics – men and women who routinely and rightly take their students to task for failing to substantiate assertions in their essays – trot out such unconsciously pro-imperialist views without a shred of evidence. I’ve had a seasoned and courageous leftwing activist tell me, when challenged to back up a claim that Assad is every bit as bad as ISIS, that she’d see if she could “dig something up” – then lose her temper when I said that smacked of looking for evidence to prop up an a priori conclusion. (Other than a link to Al Jazeera, its own source that splendid chap at Syrian Observatory, I’ve yet to hear back.) And I’ve had a Jewish friend tell me the dirt on Assad “can’t all be made up”. Lesser chaps than I might fall into the slough of despond when such as he – kinsman to folk who do know a thing or two about industrial scale smear – talk like this.

    in every instance where the west has put its military and financial weight behind unseating an alleged tyrant in the middle east the results have been: murderous chaos … privatisation … the destruction of welfare provision … fat profits not only for arms suppliers but Big Capital in general, aided by opportunist politicians – check Haliburton-Cheney, Clinton-ExxonMobil. In sum, those with most to gain by removing the ‘tyrant’ just happen to be those controlling the narrative on his tyranny. That doesn’t automatically invalidate the narrative but should make us suspicious. So why doesn’t it? Why do so many on the left and centre-left repeat and relay that narrative without troubling to do a bit of independent appraisal of the evidence? And, yes, I do know that some folk have jobs, kids and busy lives. Not everyone can sink hour on hour into investigating every single claim by billionaire media but what we can all do is make room for old fashioned scepticism and that perennially useful question, cui bono?

    https://off-guardian.org/2016/07/25/assad-the-tyrant/#comments

    • Garibaldi 2.1

      Excellent post – especially the link. I recommend everyone read it.

    • locus 2.2

      This opinion piece doesn’t absolve Assad. Nor does saying he’s not as bad as the rest add any justification for the atrocities that this war has led to, and that his regime has undoubtedly contributed to.

      Assad was asked to step down in 2011 by many world leaders shocked by him ordering military strikes that killed thousands of civilian protesters in cities around the country so he could snuff out the popular uprising. Remember Homs?

      China and Russia, voted against the UN resolution in 2012 that was led by Morocco requesting Assad step down to enable peaceful democratic transition. These two powers had a clear self interest to block this – and knew that the end game in doing so would be civil war.

      I am definitely not defending the Western powers involvement in all this, but it is absolutely reasonable to assume that had Assad stood down in 2012 all of this bloodshed and destruction might have been avoided.

      Any argument that Assad decided to stay on in power in order to stop Syria becoming a puppet state of the West is negated by the fact that it was already a puppet state of Russia and Assad had demonstrated he was quite willing to bomb civilians in order to retain pesonal power.

      The reality now, irrespective of the arguments surrounding the causes of the civil war, is that there are multiple Syrian factions (including Assad) waging a horrific war against one another, while other nations – none of whom have clean hands – provide money, weaponry and direct military support

      The tragedy of 5 years of war is evident to the world….. miilions of people displaced, families irreparably harmed, hundreds of thousands slaughtered – and mindless, amoral, unceasing bombing and destruction of their homes…. these pictures are too moving to describe:
      http://www.boredpanda.com/before-after-war-photos-aleppo-syria/

      • Colonial Viper 2.2.1

        Any argument that Assad decided to stay on in power in order to stop Syria becoming a puppet state of the West is negated by the fact that it was already a puppet state of Russia and Assad had demonstrated he was quite willing to bomb civilians in order to retain pesonal power.

        Sorry mate, but NATO member Turkey, as well as France and the USA, have also been quite willing to bomb civilians in order to get their own political way in Syria.

        The west has ratcheted up pressure and sanctions on Assad for years in the hope that his country would spiral out of control and Israel + Saudi Arabia would win.

        A climate crisis (worst drought in 1200 years) provided the background of social instability that the western regime change programme could exploit.

        And exploit they did, by infiltrating thousands if jihadist terrorists, weapons and money into Syria in an illegal attempt to destroy the legal government of a foreign country.

        Bottom line is that had the west had its way, and Russia not defended their long time ally, the black flag of ISIS would now be flying over Damascus, and millions of women would now be living under Sharia law, and members of all ethnic and religious miniorities enslaved or beheaded.

        TL/DR the west needs to stop trying to get rid of secular heads of state in the ME and replacing them with head chopping, pilot burning, Christian slaying, Kurd killing Islamic fundamentalists.

        • locus 2.2.1.1

          so two wrongs make a right CV…

          I find it incredibly depressing that an increasing number of decent and I assume civilised people think it’s okay to go to extremes and take anything they don’t agree with as a means of justifying or excusing their ‘less evil’ version of a monster – not that your argument goes this far CV

          but frankly I find it absolutely terrifying that there is so much burgeoning emotionally driven support for out and out fascists

          what was it that John Stewart said.. something along the lines that ‘it’s fine to provide gymnastic arguments to support my lying, racist, despot – so long as he gets into power’

          • Colonial Viper 2.2.1.1.1

            so two wrongs make a right CV

            I don’t even know what this means in this context. The US/Turkey/Qatar/Saudi Arabia decided to try and replace Assad with ISIS. That wasn’t for the good of the Syrian people mind you, or protecting protestors, or democracy or whatever other BS PR they put out. That was for their own geopolitical rationales.

            The only reason the black flag of ISIS is not over Damascus right now is because the Russians had enough of the west and their mates sponsoring Islamic terrorism in the Middle East.

            Was Assad wrong to shoot hundreds of protestors? Yes. Was the west wrong in using that to justify a regime change effort by Islamist proxies which has now killed 400,000 Syrians. Yes.

            • locus 2.2.1.1.1.1

              Assad is more than guilty of murdering ‘hundreds’ – it was thousands of unarmed Syrians he murdered in the civil protests during 2011 –

              And Assad’s regime – amply supported by Russia and its allies – has killed hundreds of thousands of civilians during the 5 years since

              framing the massive number of people killed as “regime change effort” suggests blame for the shelling and bombing of cities, and monstrous war crimes inflicted on civilians for the past 5 years is all on the shoulders of the Islamists and those behid the ‘regime change effort’ – and that this destruction is somehow not also the result of Assad (with Russia’s support) fighting a war to retain absolute power and in Russia’s case to control access to a strategic port

              it still holds that if the Russians and Chinese had backed the UN resolution to get Assad to step down in 2012 this war might have been prevented, and if there had been a UN managed transition of power four years ago a humane democratic Syrian leader may have emerged to establish a stronger more unified force against ISIS…

              but this is all ifs

              your framing that the black flag of ISIS isn’t over Damascus because of the Russians suggests that you think they are saviours – and that you don’t believe they have equally sponsored terrorism in the Middle East

              let’s not kid ourselves, the great powers will continue to play dirty games in the dire politics of this region probably for hundreds of years to come… which is why it is imperative to expose them wherever we can, and hold them to account rather than picking sides or excusing dictatorial regimes

              let’s hope to heck that for at least a short while Russia and the US can work together once this war ends to help Syria rebuild, recover and establish democratic institutions – much as they did for Germany and Japan after WW2

    • DoublePlusGood 2.3

      Didn’t Assad use chemical weapons on civilian areas in Damascus? Seems pretty valid to have a bad opinion on him.

      • Colonial Viper 2.3.1

        Pfffft.

        No he didn’t.

        The chemical signatures of those weapons did not match those from Assad’s armoury.

        Basically, anti-Assad forces produced and used those chemical weapons as a false flag and almost got away with it.

        Russia presented the chemical analysis to Obama, and that is why Obama did not trigger his “red line” against Assad.

        Russia brokered the deal where Assad handed over all his chemical weapon stockpiles which were then destroyed.

    • Chooky 2.4

      +100 Paul …yes very good thought provoking article

  3. Paul 3

    Shock claim that US commander masterminded Turkey failed coup leads to torching of NATO base vicinity

    The situation in Turkey is now at the hysterical stage. Last night an area close to a US-NATO base in Turkey was set alight. Sabotage is suspected, though no one has claimed responsibility.

    However, it is likely the fire was begun as a direct result of claims in a pro-Government paper, Yeni Safak, that US commander John F Campbell (retired) was the architect of the coup attempt. If this allegation turns out to be true there will be major repercussions with regard to Turkey’s role in NATO and the entire Midle East region will be affected. If they turn out to be false, given that the paper is a mouthpiece of President Erdogan, US-Turkey relation will be seriously harmed.

    http://www.thecanary.co/2016/07/25/us-commander-accused-masterminding-turkey-coup-leads-torching-nato-base-vicinity/

    • AsleepWhileWalking 3.1

      That would be the “fake” coup that allowed Erdogan to massacre those on the list (kept so close it could be used within hours) of people who opposed the government.

      Now they have taken treasonous school children captive.

      • Colonial Viper 3.1.1

        Best explanation is that it was a real coup, but Erdogan got several hours notice (information from Russian intelligence), and let it happen after taking steps to ensure that it would fail.

        The coup plotters had to push their launch forward by several hours and only had a fraction of the forces they thought that they would have.

  4. Paul 4

    Email leak rocks Democrats

    Democrats in the United States have been scrambling to contain damaging revelations of an insider effort to hobble Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign, with the party boss abruptly announcing her resignation on the eve of the convention to officially nominate Hillary Clinton.

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11681153

    • tc 4.1

      The democrats caught out being most undemocratic toward one of their own.

      Thing is they are mostly all owned by unseen corporate masters.

    • Colonial Viper 4.2

      They are trying to blame the email leak on Putin lol

      Now Snowden has chimed in: he says the NSA can use XKEYSCORE to definitively assess who did leak the emails.

      • AsleepWhileWalking 4.2.1

        Guccifer 2.0 claims responsibility. He is Romanian and no doubt offended the Democrats are spinning this into a Russian conspiracy.

        http://motherboard.vice.com/read/dnc-hacker-guccifer-20-interview

        I’d avoid pissing off hackers Romanian or otherwise if I were them.

      • One Anonymous Bloke 4.2.2

        Which would account for the reference to two hacking groups with links to Moscow. Don’t forget to denounce that as establishment propaganda.

        • Colonial Viper 4.2.2.1

          Uh what?

          The NSA’s XKEYSCORE programme can definitively reveal where the email leaks came from.

          There doesn’t need to be any mystery or misinformation here.

    • Garibaldi 4.3

      I am disappointed that Bernie has fallen in behind Hilary. They must have something over him for him to have capitulated like that. Should be an interesting convention!

      • Adrian 4.3.1

        Yeah, it’s called Trump!.

      • Chooky 4.3.2

        +100 Garibaldi…why did Bernie fall in behind Clinton?…is he a phony?…he certainly doesn’t have the fight that Corbyn has …or courage of his convictions…and nor does Elisabeth Warren imo

        • Olwyn 4.3.2.1

          I have been told that candidates sign an agreement from the outset that they will support whoever is ultimately selected, and I don’t think Bernie is the type to break such an agreement. His stated aim is to change politics, and I think he will from now on concentrate on getting like-minded people into congress.

    • swordfish 4.4

      Interesting parallels with UK Labour. Claims in the Daily Telegraph that Labour Party General Secretary, Iain McNicol, tried to stitch things up to keep Corbyn off ballot …

      … McNicol as the UK’s answer to Debbie Wasserman Schultz.

      http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/07/25/labour-leadership-contest-legal-documents-reveal-depth-of-split/?x

      Jeremy Corbyn’s supporters have accused the head of the Labour Party of “subverting” internal rules and keeping legal advice “hidden” to effectively block him running for the leadership, legal papers have revealed.

      In documents seen by The Telegraph, Mr Corbyn’s backers claim Iain McNicol, Labour’s general secretary, went to “great lengths” to keep secret a crucial party board meeting about his future.

      They also accuse Mr McNicol of trying to “manufacture a situation whereby Jeremy Corbyn’s name will be omitted from the leadership ballot” despite being bound to remain impartial during the contest.

  5. b waghorn 5

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11681154

    “There is no greater crime being perpetuated on future generations than that committed by those who deny climate change. The scientific consensus is so overwhelming that to argue against it is to perpetuate a dangerous fraud. Denial has become a yardstick by which intelligence can be tested. The term climate sceptic is now interchangeable with the term mindless fool.”

    Telling it like it is

    • Jenny 5.1

      Indeed. In opposing taking real meaningful government actions to combat climate change, claiming climate change does not exist, does not cut it anymore.

      Those who oppose taking real meaningful action to combat climate change take a much more subtle approach these days.

    • One Two 5.2

      Taking a position and verbalising it is not a crime, and never should be

      The wording and logic is wrong

      Think it through

      • McFlock 5.2.1

        Taking a position and verbalising it is not a crime, and never should be

        Yes, it often is and should be.
        “Taking a position and verbalising it” can describe fraud, incitement to violence, incitement to riot, conspiracy, obtaining credit by deception, blackmail, reckless endangerment, negligence, perjury, and a variety of other criminal offences.

        • One Two 5.2.1.1

          “There is no greater crime being perpetuated on future generations than that committed by those who deny climate change”

          Denial is not a crime!

          • McFlock 5.2.1.1.1

            Officer: you know who murdered that child
            Offender [lying]: no I do not

            That denial is a crime.

            Insurance company: do you have a history of heart disease?
            Offender [lying]: no I do not

            That denial is a crime.

            employee: have you used that coffee cup to hold cyanide?
            Offender [lying]: no I have not

            That denial is a crime.

            • One Two 5.2.1.1.1.1

              You can’t seriously be that big of a dolt…can you?

              The context, is so called climate change denial, which is not a crime

              No matter who claims it to be!

              • McFlock

                Actually, if I’m at all familiar with the research into climate change and I advise someone that, for example, they’ll be fine if they build an expensive home on beachfront property with the intention of selling it in twenty or fify years time, then I could well be charged with “causing loss by deception” under section240 of the Crimes Act 1961.

                • One Two

                  You genuinely are operating at a low frequency which explains your interpretations of ‘ actual knowledge’

                  Another option is that you’re a total dickhead, which is essentially one and the same

                  In case you do have a mental health problem, my apologies and I withdraw

                  Whatever your condition, stay off my comments as well

                  • McFlock

                    Lol
                    You’re not operating at a higher frequency, it’s just a mosquito buzzing around where your brain should be.

  6. locus 6

    A serious lapse of judgement by wikileaks dumping millions of private emails and personal information about all women voters in Turkey has potentially put thousands in extreme danger:

    We are talking about millions of women whose private, personal information has been dumped into the world, with nary an outcry. Their addresses are out there for every stalker, ex-partner, disapproving relative or random crazy to peruse as they wish. And let’s remember that, every year in Turkey, hundreds of women are murdered, most often by current or ex-husbands or boyfriends, and thousands of women leave their homes or go into hiding, seeking safety.

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/zeynep-tufekci/wikileaks-erdogan-emails_b_11158792.html

    • Colonial Viper 6.1

      great of the piece’s author to draw such huge publicity to the existence and location of these databases, as well as carefully describing their contents, for the sake of her own career. She even says that other news outlets did not really examine the leaked info in the detail she did, and missed presenting these facts.

      Now she’s let all the non IT savvy stalkers in the world know.

      Highly educated and highly stupid all at the same time.

  7. swordfish 7

    Coup Crumbling

    First of the 60 UK Labour frontbenchers who resigned en masse … asks to return.
    Sarah Champion, MP for Rotherham, is to rejoin the shadow cabinet less than a month after her dramatic resignation. On 28 June, in the aftermath of Brexit, she tweeted: “I have just stepped down from my shadow minister job, but not my responsibilities to my constituents, party or victims of abuse.”

    Champion now formally retracts her resignation and asks Corbyn to be reinstated as Shadow Home Office Minister. Welcomed back with open arms. Expected to be first of many returnees, now that the writing’s on the wall.

    As Left-Wing Activist / Corbyn-supporter, Aaaron Bastani tweeted:

    Champion, like much of party, was persuaded by arguments generated by instigators of coup: that Boris would be PM & call immediate election … Consciously created, exploited, dynamic of urgency. Many excellent MPs made decisions I think they now regret. Am told all welcome to return

    http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/sarah-champion-unresigns-labour-shadow-8490897#ICID=sharebar_twitter

    http://www.theguardian.com/politics/blog/live/2016/jul/25/mcdonnell-accused-of-downplaying-seriousness-of-malhotra-office-row-politics-live

    http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/staggers/2016/07/sarah-champion-wants-un-resign-and-join-jeremy-corbyns-shadow-cabinet

  8. swordfish 8

    Trump post-Convention Poll Bounce

    Donald Trump comes out of his convention ahead of Hillary Clinton in the race for the White House, topping her 44% to 39% in a four-way matchup including Gary Johnson (9%) and Jill Stein (3%) and by three points in a two-way head-to-head, 48% to 45%. That latter finding represents a 6-point convention bounce for Trump … There hasn’t been a significant post-convention bounce in CNN’s polling since 2000 …

    … The new findings mark Trump’s best showing in a CNN/ORC Poll against Clinton since September 2015. Trump’s new edge rests largely on increased support among independents … Pre-convention, independents split 34% Clinton to 31% Trump, with sizable numbers behind Johnson (22%) and Stein (10%). Now, 46% say they back Trump, 28% Clinton, 15% Johnson and 4% Stein …

    … Beyond boosting his overall support, Trump’s favorability rating is also on the rise (46% of registered voters say they have a positive view, up from 39% pre-convention), while his advantage over Clinton on handling top issues climbs. He now holds double-digit margins over Clinton as more trusted on the economy and terrorism … (and has) … cut into Clinton’s edge on managing foreign policy (50% said they trusted her more, down from 57% pre-convention).

    The convention also helped Trump make strides in his personal image. A majority (52%) now say Trump is running for president for the good of the country rather than personal gain, just 44% say the same about Clinton. He’s increased the share who call him honest and trustworthy (from 38% to 43%), and who would be proud to have him as president (from 32% to 39%). And nearly half now say he’s in touch with the problems ordinary Americans face in their daily lives (46% say so, 37% did before the convention) …

    … Clinton’s ratings on these same measures took a hit, though in most cases her drop-off was not quite as large as Trump’s gain. Perhaps most troubling for the Clinton supporters gathering in Philadelphia this week: 68% now say Clinton is not honest and trustworthy, her worst rating on that measure in CNN/ORC polling.

    http://edition.cnn.com/2016/07/25/politics/donald-trump-hillary-clinton-poll/index.html

    Most Recent 2016 Presidential Polls

    Polls released Monday July 25

    CNN/ORC Trump 48, Clinton 45 ……………………………………………… Trump +3
    CBS News Trump 44, Clinton 43 ……………………………………………… Trump +1
    Economist/YouGov Trump 42, Clinton 47 ………………………………. Clinton +5
    LA Times/USC Trump 45, Clinton 41 ……………………………………….. Trump +4
    CNN/ORC Clinton 39, Trump 44, Johnson 9, Stein 3 ………………… Trump +5
    Economist/YouGov Clinton 40, Trump 38, Johnson 5, Stein 3 …. Clinton +2
    CBS News Clinton 39, Trump 40, Johnson 12 …………………………… Trump +1

    • Colonial Viper 8.1

      The DNC Convention has not started smoothly with lots of anti-Clinton booing by pro-Sanders delegates.

      We also know that the convention is receiving a tonne of live media coverage.

      We also know that the general public is way more keen on Sanders than Clinton.

      Maybe the Democrats are going to find it hard to get a good bounce from their 4 day convention.

      • Sanders has tweeted, asking the maddies to tone it down.

        • Colonial Viper 8.1.1.1

          He’s not in charge of these people any more and I predict the volume is going to go up not down.

        • Colonial Viper 8.1.1.2

          Video of departing Democratic Party chair person Debbie Wasserman Schultz being booed down at a breakfast meeting of Florida’s Democratic convention voting delegates.

          Wasserman Schultz had to be escorted out of her own party’s breakfast event by security.

          https://twitter.com/NDN_BrentBatten/status/757568128419237889

        • adam 8.1.1.3

          Good to see you using moderate and inclusive language, to try and not starting a flame war there te reo putake.

      • Olwyn 8.1.2

        I am not sure how reliable this is, but the claim is that Sanders will be “placed in nomination” at the DNC. I take it that such a move would be intended to show the strength of Bernie’s support base, thus weakening Hillary’s ability to get away with making only minor policy concessions. http://usuncut.com/politics/bernie-speech-hot-mic-nomination/

      • Anne 8.1.3

        CV @ 8.1
        “I’m hoping the Democrats are going to find it hard to get a good bounce from their 4 day convention.”

        Fify. 🙄

        • Colonial Viper 8.1.3.1

          Hi Anne. There’s no way that I can be clearer than I have been that I think Trump would be a far better POTUS for NZ than Hillary Clinton.

          Less likely to go to guns against China and Russia in the Pacific. Will put the TPP into the shredder by lunch time. Won’t ask NZ troops to take part in “coalition” wars of regime change.

      • swordfish 8.1.4

        Just released Economist/YouGov Poll

        Suggests just over half of Sanders supporters who voted in the Democratic Primaries will support Clinton come Election Day. Just 5% say they will back Trump, but almost 40% are intending to back one of the minor candidates – Stein slightly ahead of Johnson.

        Poll probably conducted immediately prior to Debbie Wasserman Schultz revelations, though. May cut into that Clinton support.

        Sanders Supporters who voted in Dem Primaries
        Favourability towards Clinton
        Unfavourable … 58%
        Favourable ……. 42%
        (They’re overwhelmingly unfavourable to Trump and are more favourable to the Greens’ Jill Stein than other partisans. Will their antagonism towards Trump ultimately triumph over their anger at Clinton and see them holding their collective noses to tick Hillary ? Or have the latest revelations changed everything ?)

        Sanders Supporters who voted in Dem primaries
        Feelings about Clinton as Dem Candidate
        Enthusiastic ………………………………………… 8%
        Satisfied but not Enthusiastic ……………… 29%
        Dissatisfied but not Upset …………………… 34%
        Upset ………………………………………………….. 29%

        • Colonial Viper 8.1.4.1

          Not sure if you were the one put up a link to this…but I read that Bernie’s supporters may vote Clinton…but they are now for the most part passive voters.

          They aren’t going to campaign for Clinton, they aren’t going to push their friends and family to turn out on the day for Clinton, they might not even make it to a polling booth on the day if they get busy.

    • Colonial Viper 8.2

      Donald Trump is riding high in the polls, surging past Hillary Clinton to leads in all six of the latest national polls released since Saturday.

      That’s good news for Trump. Some wondered if the Republican National Convention last week might not give the Republican nominee the post-convention polling bump most presidential candidates get — but it’s looking like it did.

      The liberal media piece then spends several hundred words reassuring lefties why this isn’t really a big problem for Clinton and why 6 polls are just rogues.

      A fascinating read in intellectual self-deception.

      http://www.vox.com/2016/7/25/12270288/donald-trump-polls-beat-clinton

  9. whispering kate 9

    Did anybody hear Merepeka Raukawa-Tait on TVNZ’s Breakfast 7.15 this morning. My God did she sock it to the Government about the moribund CYFS Department and the ineffective treatment of our young children. She basically said that if the Department cannot deliver and do their job it should be disbanded and allow others who can have “access to the front doors” of these vulnerable children, to do the job. It was in answer to the Government’s idea to have the police pay informants who witness abuse. The lady said it was a shocking indictment that they have to go as low as pay informants when they should be tackling the root of the problem – which of course we all know.

    What a hopeless Government we have. This lady was eloquent, to the point and didn’t waffle, and is wasted wherever she is and should be elevated to a role where she can really deliver on what she wants to see happen to these children. She is what our pollies should be, passionate and bloody determined that our littlies and older children should not have to put up with the shit that is happening in their lives. God bless her and I hope she is cherry picked for Government – not that I think such a great lady would want to soil her life by association with Government and the people in it. All power to her.

  10. Nck 10

    I wonder if the polls are just as fixed as the rest of the political crims….

  11. Andre 11

    Why Putin might be trying to mess with Clinton (besides being buddy-buddy with Trump)…

    http://www.politico.com/story/2016/07/clinton-putin-226153

    • Colonial Viper 11.1

      How the war party establishment labels everyone that they do not like “Putin’s useful idiot”

      From Snowden to Trump to Tsipras to Jeremy Corbyn

      http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-07-24/presenting-putins-useful-idiot-anyone-who-disagrees-establishment

      Let me remind people that Putin’s popularity in Russia is 80% to 85%.

      This compares to Hillary Clinton’s own 35% to 40% favourability rating in the US.

      And 55% unfavourable rating.

    • One Two 11.2

      Andre, move past it

      It’s not the reds under the bed

      The NSA are the world hackers!

      • Andre 11.2.1

        Putin is hardly a red under the bed, he’s one of the finest examples of the 0.001% using whatever means available to screw over everybody else for his own benefit. A perfect fit with Trump.

        • One Two 11.2.1.1

          Which makes either of them worse than Hillary, bankers [name the establishment], how?

          Andre, your comments don’t make sense and you seem to not identify bullshit when it’s in front of you

          Did you say you were American, or were raised there?

        • Slippery 11.2.1.2

          Let’s assume for a minute your US conspiracy theory is true, what if like dropping an attomic Bombs was an excuse to put an end to the war & that say if Russia did the hack then the ends justified the means – a bloodless move to avoid WWIII?, Hillary is not the Victim, she used her unsecured personal email server for her corrupt private deeds & for sharing classified information on a vunrable server, a 12yr old could have used A malware bomb that then sends a copy in her name to bypass DNC & Govt emailservers (bypassing security in place), sure she’s a digital native who compromised National Security but is innocent & snowden leaked classified info yet is the traitor? – did I get that right?

  12. adam 12

    Thought this was good, and timely. Also funny.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=419MIT7xNhs

    • Garibaldi 12.1

      Yes – and our Labour Party hasn’t been left since 1984.Thanks Adam, I love that guy.

  13. Garibaldi 13

    From zerohedge.
    “Hillary Clinton is implicitly running on only two themes…..
    1) Trump is scary. I am not Trump.
    2)Things aren’t really bad. I’ll continue along the path we’ve been on.”
    If this is true then she will lose the election because a large majority think the country is headed in the wrong direction. She should have chosen Bernie !

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • Weekly Roundup 29-September-2023
    Welcome to Friday and the last one for September. This week in Greater Auckland On Monday, Matt highlighted at the latest with the City Rail Link. On Tuesday, Matt covered the interesting items from Auckland Transport’s latest board meeting agendas. On Thursday, a guest post from Darren Davis ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    3 hours ago
  • Protest at Parliament: The Reunion.
    Brian’s god spoke to him. He, for of course the Lord in Tamaki’s mind was a male god, with a mighty rod, and probably some black leathers. He, told Brian - “you must put a stop to all this love, hope, and kindness”. And it did please the Brian.He said ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 hours ago
  • Labour cuts $50m from cycleway spending
    Labour is cutting spending on cycling infrastructure while still trying to claim the higher ground on climate. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Labour Government released a climate manifesto this week to try to claim the high ground against National, despite having ignored the Climate Commission’s advice to toughen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 hours ago
  • The Greater Of Two Evils.
    Not Labour: If you’re out to punish the government you once loved, then the last thing you need is to be shown evidence that the opposition parties are much, much worse.THE GREATEST VIRTUE of being the Opposition is not being the Government. Only very rarely is an opposition party elected ...
    5 hours ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #39 2023
    Open access notables "Net zero is only a distraction— we just have to end fossil fuel emissions." The latter is true but the former isn't, or  not in the real world as it's likely to be in the immediate future. And "just" just doesn't enter into it; we don't have ...
    15 hours ago
  • Chris Trotter: Losing the Left
    IN THE CURRENT MIX of electoral alternatives, there is no longer a credible left-wing party. Not when “a credible left-wing party” is defined as: a class-oriented, mass-based, democratically-structured political organisation; dedicated to promoting ideas sharply critical of laissez-faire capitalism; and committed to advancing democratic, egalitarian and emancipatory ideals across the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    17 hours ago
  • Road rage at Kia Kaha Primary School
    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    19 hours ago
  • Road rage at Kia Kaha Primary School
    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    19 hours ago
  • Road rage at Kia Kaha Primary School
    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More than a fieldingBy David Slack
    19 hours ago
  • Hipkins fires up in leaders’ debate, but has the curtain already fallen on the Labour-led coalitio...
    Labour’s  Chris Hipkins came out firing, in the  leaders’ debate  on Newshub’s evening programme, and most of  the pundits  rated  him the winner against National’s  Christopher Luxon. But will this make any difference when New  Zealanders  start casting their ballots? The problem  for  Hipkins is  that  voters are  all too ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    20 hours ago
  • Govt is energising housing projects with solar power – and fuelling the public’s concept of a di...
    Buzz from the Beehive  Not long after Point of Order published data which show the substantial number of New Zealanders (77%) who believe NZ is becoming more divided, government ministers were braying about a programme which distributes some money to “the public” and some to “Maori”. The ministers were dishing ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    20 hours ago
  • MIKE GRIMSHAW: Election 2023 – a totemic & charisma failure?
    The D&W analysis Michael Grimshaw writes –  Given the apathy, disengagement, disillusionment, and all-round ennui of this year’s general election, it was considered time to bring in those noted political operatives and spin doctors D&W, the long-established consultancy firm run by Emile Durkheim and Max Weber. Known for ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    22 hours ago
  • FROM BFD: Will Winston be the spectre we think?
    Kissy kissy. Cartoon credit BoomSlang. The BFD. JC writes-  Allow me to preface this contribution with the following statement: If I were asked to express a preference between a National/ACT coalition or a National/ACT/NZF coalition then it would be the former. This week Luxon declared his position, ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    23 hours ago
  • California’s climate disclosure bill could have a huge impact across the U.S.
    This re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Andy Furillo was originally published by Capital & Main and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The California Legislature took a step last week that has the potential to accelerate the fight against climate ...
    1 day ago
  • Untangling South East Queensland’s Public Transport
    This is a cross post Adventures in Transitland by Darren Davis. I recently visited Brisbane and South East Queensland and came away both impressed while also pondering some key changes to make public transport even better in the region. Here goes with my take on things. A bit of ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    1 day ago
  • Try A Little Kindness.
    My daughter arrived home from the supermarket yesterday and she seemed a bit worried about something. It turned out she wanted to know if someone could get her bank number from a receipt.We wound the story back.She was in the store and there was a man there who was distressed, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • What makes NZFirst tick
    New Zealand’s longest-running political roadshow rolled into Opotiki yesterday, with New Zealand First leader Winston Peters knowing another poll last night showed he would make it back to Parliament and National would need him and his party if they wanted to form a government. The Newshub Reid Research poll ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 day ago
  • September AMA
    Hi,As September draws to a close — I feel it’s probably time to do an Ask Me Anything. You know how it goes: If you have any burning questions, fire away in the comments and I will do my best to answer. You might have questions about Webworm, or podcast ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    1 day ago
  • Bludgers lying in the scratcher making fools of us all
    The mediocrity who stands to be a Prime Minister has a litany.He uses it a bit like a Koru Lounge card. He will brandish it to say: these people are eligible. And more than that, too: These people are deserving. They have earned this policy.They have a right to this policy. What ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • More “partnerships” (by the look of it) and redress of over $30 million in Treaty settlement wit...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point of Order has waited until now – 3.45pm – for today’s officially posted government announcements.  There have been none. The only addition to the news on the Beehive’s website was posted later yesterday, after we had published our September 26 Buzz report. It came from ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago
  • ALEX HOLLAND: Labour’s spending
    Alex Holland writes –  In 2017 when Labour came to power, crown spending was $76 billion per year. Now in 2023 it is $139 billion per year, which equates to a $63 billion annual increase (over $1 billion extra spend every week!) In 2017, New Zealand’s government debt ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • If not now, then when?
    Labour released its fiscal plan today, promising the same old, same old: "responsibility", balanced books, and of course no new taxes: "Labour will maintain income tax settings to provide consistency and certainty in these volatile times. Now is not the time for additional taxes or to promise billions of ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago
  • THE FACTS:  77% of Kiwis believe NZ is becoming more divided
    The Facts has posted –        KEY INSIGHTSOf New Zealander’s polled: Social unity/division 77%believe NZ is becoming more divided (42% ‘much more’ + 35% ‘a little more’) 3%believe NZ is becoming less divided (1% ‘much less’ + 2% ‘a little less’) ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the cynical brutality of the centre-right’s welfare policies
    The centre-right’s enthusiasm for forcing people off the benefit and into paid work is matched only by the enthusiasm (shared by Treasury and the Reserve Bank) for throwing people out of paid work to curb inflation, and achieve the optimal balance of workers to job seekers deemed to be desirable ...
    2 days ago
  • Wednesday’s Chorus: Arthur Grimes on why building many, many more social houses is so critical
    New research shows that tenants in social housing - such as these Wellington apartments - are just as happy as home owners and much happier than private tenants. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The election campaign took an ugly turn yesterday, and in completely the wrong direction. All three ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Old habits
    Media awareness about global warming and climate change has grown fairly steadily since 2004. My impression is that journalists today tend to possess a higher climate literacy than before. This increasing awareness and improved knowledge is encouraging, but there are also some common interpretations which could be more nuanced. ...
    Real ClimateBy rasmus
    2 days ago
  • Bennie Bashing.
    If there’s one thing the mob loves more than keeping Māori in their place, more than getting tough on the gangs, maybe even more than tax cuts. It’s a good old round of beneficiary bashing.Are those meanies in the ACT party stealing your votes because they think David Seymour is ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • The kindest cuts
    Labour kicks off the fiscal credibility battle today with the release of its fiscal plan. National is expected to follow, possibly as soon as Thursday, with its own plan, which may (or may not) address the large hole that the problems with its foreign buyers’ ban might open up. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago
  • Green right turn in Britain? Well, a start
    While it may be unlikely to register in New Zealand’s general election, Britain’s PM Rishi Sunak has done something which might just be important in the long run. He’s announced a far-reaching change in his Conservative government’s approach to environmental, and particularly net zero, policy. The starting point – ...
    Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
    2 days ago
  • At a glance – How do human CO2 emissions compare to natural CO2 emissions?
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    3 days ago
  • How could this happen?
    Canada is in uproar after the exposure that its parliament on September 22 provided a standing ovation to a Nazi veteran who had been invited into the chamber to participate in the parliamentary welcome to Ukrainian President Zelensky. Yaroslav Hunka, 98, a Ukrainian man who volunteered for service in ...
    3 days ago
  • Always Be Campaigning
    The big screen is a great place to lay out the ways of the salesman. He comes ready-made for Panto, ripe for lampooning.This is not to disparage that life. I have known many good people of that kind. But there is a type, brazen as all get out. The camera ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • STEPHEN FRANKS: Press seek to publicly shame doctor – we must push back
    The following is a message sent yesterday from lawyer Stephen Franks on behalf of the Free Speech Union. I don’t like to interrupt first thing Monday morning, but we’ve just become aware of a case where we think immediate and overwhelming attention could help turn the tide. It involves someone ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Competing on cruelty
    The right-wing message calendar is clearly reading "cruelty" today, because both National and NZ First have released beneficiary-bashing policies. National is promising a "traffic light" system to police and kick beneficiaries, which will no doubt be accompanied by arbitrary internal targets to classify people as "orange" or "red" to keep ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • Further funding for Pharmac (forgotten in the Budget?) looks like a $1bn appeal from a PM in need of...
    Buzz from the Beehive One Labour plan  – for 3000 more public homes by 2025 – is the most recent to be posted on the government’s official website. Another – a prime ministerial promise of more funding for Pharmac – has been released as a Labour Party press statement. Who ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Bryce Edwards: The Vested interests shaping National Party policies
    As the National Party gets closer to government, lobbyists and business interests will be lining up for influence and to get policies adopted. It’s therefore in the public interest to have much more scrutiny and transparency about potential conflicts of interests that might arise. One of the key individuals of ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago
  • Labour may be on way out of power and NZ First back in – but will Peters go into coalition with Na...
    Voters  are deserting Labour in droves, despite Chris  Hipkins’  valiant  rearguard  action.  So  where  are they  heading?  Clearly  not all of them are going to vote National, which concedes that  the  outcome  will be “close”. To the Right of National, the ACT party just a  few weeks  ago  was ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    3 days ago
  • GRAHAM ADAMS: Will the racists please stand up?
    Accusations of racism by journalists and MPs are being called out. Graham Adams writes –    With the election less than three weeks away, what co-governance means in practice — including in water management, education, planning law and local government — remains largely obscure. Which is hardly ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on whether Winston Peters can be a moderating influence
    As the centre-right has (finally!) been subjected to media interrogation, the polls are indicating that some voters may be starting to have second thoughts about the wisdom of giving National and ACT the power to govern alone. That’s why yesterday’s Newshub/Reid Research poll had the National/ACT combo dropping to 60 ...
    3 days ago
  • Tuesday’s Chorus: RBNZ set to rain on National's victory parade
    ANZ has increased its forecast for house inflation later this year on signs of growing momentum in the market ahead of the election. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: National has campaigned against the Labour Government’s record on inflation and mortgage rates, but there’s now a growing chance the Reserve ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • After a Pittsburgh coal processing plant closed, ER visits plummeted
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Katie Myers. This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. Pittsburgh, in its founding, was blessed and cursed with two abundant natural resources: free-flowing rivers and a nearby coal seam. ...
    3 days ago
  • September-23 AT Board Meeting
    Today the AT board meet again and once again I’ve taken a look at what’s on the agenda to find the most interesting items. Closed Agenda Interestingly when I first looked at the agendas this paper was there but at the time of writing this post it had been ...
    3 days ago
  • Electorate Watch: West Coast-Tasman
    Continuing my series on interesting electorates, today it’s West Coast-Tasman.A long thin electorate running down the northern half of the west coast of the South Island. Think sand flies, beautiful landscapes, lots of rain, Pike River, alternative lifestylers, whitebaiting, and the spiritual home of the Labour Party. A brief word ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Big money brings Winston back
    National leader Christopher Luxon yesterday morning conceded it and last night’s Newshub poll confirmed it; Winston Peters and NZ First are not only back but highly likely to be part of the next government. It is a remarkable comeback for a party that was tossed out of Parliament in ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago
  • 20 days until Election Day, 7 until early voting begins… but what changes will we really see here?
    As this blogger, alongside many others, has already posited in another forum: we all know the National Party’s “budget” (meaning this concept of even adding up numbers properly is doing a lot of heavy, heavy lifting right now) is utter and complete bunk (read hung, drawn and quartered and ...
    exhALANtBy exhalantblog
    4 days ago
  • A night out
    Everyone was asking, Are you nervous? and my response was various forms of God, yes.I've written more speeches than I can count; not much surprises me when the speaker gets to their feet and the room goes quiet.But a play? Never.YOU CAME! THANK YOU! Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • A pallid shade of Green III
    Clearly Labour's focus groups are telling it that it needs to pay more attention to climate change - because hot on the heels of their weaksauce energy efficiency pilot programme and not-great-but-better-than-nothing solar grants, they've released a full climate manifesto. Unfortunately, the core policies in it - a second Emissions ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • A coalition of racism, cruelty, and chaos
    Today's big political news is that after months of wibbling, National's Chris Luxon has finally confirmed that he is willing to work with Winston Peters to become Prime Minister. Which is expected, but I guess it tells us something about which way the polls are going. Which raises the question: ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • More migrant workers should help generate the tax income needed to provide benefits for job seekers
    Buzz from the Beehive Under something described as a “rebalance” of its immigration rules, the Government has adopted four of five recommendations made in an independent review released in July, The fifth, which called on the government to specify criteria for out-of-hours compliance visits similar to those used during ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • Letter To Luxon.
    Some of you might know Gerard Otto (G), and his G News platform. This morning he wrote a letter to Christopher Luxon which I particularly enjoyed, and with his agreement I’m sharing it with you in this guest newsletter.If you’d like to make a contribution to support Gerard’s work you ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • LINDSAY MITCHELL: Alarming trend in benefit numbers
    Lindsay Mitchell writes –  While there will not be another quarterly release of benefit numbers prior to the election, limited weekly reporting continues and is showing an alarming trend. Because there is a seasonal component to benefit number fluctuations it is crucial to compare like with like. In ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • BRIAN EASTON: Has there been external structural change?
    A close analysis of the Treasury assessment of the Medium Term in its PREFU 2023 suggests the economy may be entering a new phase.   Brian Easton writes –  Last week I explained that the forecasts in the just published Treasury Pre-election Economic and Fiscal Update (PREFU 2023) was ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • CRL Progress – Sep-23
    It’s been a while since we looked at the latest with the City Rail Link and there’s been some fantastic milestones recently. To start with, and most recently, CRL have released an awesome video showing a full fly-through of one of the tunnels. Come fly with us! You asked for ...
    4 days ago
  • Monday’s Chorus: Not building nearly enough
    We are heading into another period of fast population growth without matching increased home building or infrastructure investment.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Labour and National detailed their house building and migration approaches over the weekend, with both pledging fast population growth policies without enough house building or infrastructure investment ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Game on; Hipkins comes out punching
    Labour leader Chris Hipkins yesterday took the gloves off and laid into National and its leader Christopher Luxon. For many in Labour – and particularly for some at the top of the caucus and the party — it would not have been a moment too soon. POLITIK is aware ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • Tax Cut Austerity Blues.
    The leaders have had their go, they’ve told us the “what?” and the “why?” of their promises. Now it’s the turn of the would be Finance Ministers to tell us the “how?”, the “how much?”, and the “when?”A chance for those competing for the second most powerful job in the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • MIKE GRIMSHAW:  It’s the economy – and the spirit – Stupid…
    Mike Grimshaw writes – Over the past 30-odd years it’s become almost an orthodoxy to blame or invoke neoliberalism for the failures of New Zealand society. On the left the usual response goes something like, neoliberalism is the cause of everything that’s gone wrong and the answer ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • 2023 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #38
    A chronological listing of news and opinion articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Sep 17, 2023 thru Sat, Sep 23, 2023. Story of the Week  Opinion: Let’s free ourselves from the story of economic growth A relentless focus on economic growth has ushered in ...
    5 days ago
  • The End Of The World.
    Have you been looking out of your window for signs of the apocalypse? Don’t worry, you haven’t been door knocked by a representative of the Brian Tamaki party. They’re probably a bit busy this morning spruiking salvation, or getting ready to march on our parliament, which is closed. No, I’ve ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago
  • Climate Town: The Brainwashing Of America's Children
    Climate Town is the YouTube channel of Rollie Williams and a ragtag team of climate communicators, creatives and comedians. They examine climate change in a way that doesn’t make you want to eat a cyanide pill. Get informed about the climate crisis before the weather does it for you. The latest ...
    7 days ago
  • Has There Been External Structural Change?
    A close analysis of the Treasury assessment of the Medium Term in its PREFU 2023 suggests the economy may be entering a new phase. Last week I explained that the forecasts in the just published Treasury Pre-election Economic and Fiscal Update (PREFU 2023) was similar to the May Budget BEFU, ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    7 days ago
  • Another Labour bully
    Back in June, we learned that Kiri Allan was a Parliamentary bully. And now there's another one: Labour MP Shanan Halbert: The Labour Party was alerted to concerns about [Halbert's] alleged behaviour a year ago but because staffers wanted to remain anonymous, no formal process was undertaken [...] The ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    7 days ago
  • Climate Change: Ignoring our biggest problem
    Its that time in the election season where the status quo parties are busy accusing each other of having fiscal holes in a desperate effort to appear more "responsible" (but not, you understand, by promising to tax wealth or land to give the government the revenue it needs to do ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    7 days ago
  • JERRY COYNE: A good summary of the mess that is science education in New Zealand
    JERRY COYNE writes –  If you want to see what the government of New Zealand is up to with respect to science education, you can’t do better than listening to this video/slideshow by two exponents of the “we-need-two-knowledge-systems” view. I’ve gotten a lot of scary stuff from Kiwi ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    7 days ago
  • Good news on the GDP front is accompanied by news of a $5m govt boost for Supercars (but what about ...
    Buzz from the Beehive First, we were treated to the news (from Finance Minister Grant Robertson) that the economy has turned a corner and New Zealand never was in recession.  This was triggered by statistics which showed the economy expanded 0.9 per cent in the June quarter, twice as much as ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    7 days ago
  • The Scafetta Saga
    It has taken 17 months to get a comment published pointing out the obvious errors in the Scafetta (2022) paper in GRL. Back in March 2022, Nicola Scafetta published a short paper in Geophysical Research Letters (GRL) purporting to show through ‘advanced’ means that ‘all models with ECS > ...
    Real ClimateBy Gavin
    7 days ago
  • Friday's Chorus: Penny wise and pound foolish
    TL;DR: In the middle of a climate emergency and in a city prone to earthquakes, Victoria University of Wellington announced yesterday it would stop teaching geophysics, geographic information science and physical geography to save $22 million a year and repay debt. Climate change damage in Aotearoa this year is already ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    7 days ago
  • CHRIS TROTTER: Calling the big dog’s bluff
      For nearly thirty years the pundits have been telling the minor parties that they must be good little puppies and let the big dogs decide. The parties with a plurality of the votes cast must be allowed to govern – even if that means ignoring the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 week ago
  • The electorate swing, Labour limbo and Luxon-Hipkins two-step
     Another poll, another 27 for Labour. It was July the last time one of the reputable TV company polls had Labour's poll percentage starting with a three, so the limbo question is now being asked: how low can you go?It seems such an unlikely question because this doesn't feel like the kind ...
    PunditBy Tim Watkin
    1 week ago
  • A Womance, and a Nomance.
    After the trench warfare of Tuesday night, when the two major parties went head to head, last night was the turn of the minor parties. Hosts Newshub termed it “the Powerbrokers' Debate”.Based on the latest polls the four parties taking part - ACT, the Greens, New Zealand First, and Te ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • When The Internet Rushes To Your Defense
    Hi,You can’t make this stuff up.People involved with Sound of Freedom, the QAnon-infused movie about anti-child trafficker Tim Ballard, are dropping like flies. I won’t ruin your day by describing it here, but Vice reports that footage has emerged of executive producer Paul Hutchinson being inappropriate with a 16-year-old trafficking ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    1 week ago
  • Doubts about Robertson’s good news day
    The trading banks yesterday concluded that though GDP figures released yesterday show the economy is not in recession, it may well soon be. Nevertheless, the fact that GDP has gone up 0.8 per cent in the latest quarter and that StatsNZ revised the previous quarter’s figure to show a ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 week ago
  • The Votes That Media Dare Not Speak Its Name
    .Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work..A recent political opinion poll (20 September) on TV1 presented what could only be called bleak news for the Left Bloc:National: 37%, down two points equating to 46 seatsLabour: 27%, down one point (34 ...
    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    1 week ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #38 2023
    Open access notables At our roots Skeptical Science is about cognition of the results of climate science research in the minds of the entire human population. Ideally we'd be perfectly communicating understanding of Earth's climate, and perfectly understood. We can only approximate that, but hopefully converging closer to perfection. With ...
    1 week ago
  • Failing To Hold Back The Flood: The Edgy Politics of the Twenty-First Century.
    Coming Over The Top: Rory Stewart's memoir, Politics On The Edge, lays bare the dangerous inadequacies of the Western World's current political model.VERY FEW NEW ZEALANDERS will have heard of Rory Stewart. Those with a keen eye for the absurdities of politics may recognise the name as that of the ...
    1 week ago

  • New community-level energy projects to support more than 800 Māori households
    Seven more innovative community-scale energy projects will receive government funding through the Māori and Public Housing Renewable Energy Fund to bring more affordable, locally generated clean energy to more than 800 Māori households, Energy and Resources Minister Dr Megan Woods says. “We’ve already funded 42 small-scale clean energy projects that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Huge boost to Te Tai Tokerau flood resilience
    The Government has approved new funding that will boost resilience and greatly reduce the risk of major flood damage across Te Tai Tokerau. Significant weather events this year caused severe flooding and damage across the region. The $8.9m will be used to provide some of the smaller communities and maraes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Napier’s largest public housing development comes with solar
    The largest public housing development in Napier for many years has been recently completed and has the added benefit of innovative solar technology, thanks to Government programmes, says Housing Minister Dr Megan Woods. The 24 warm, dry homes are in Seddon Crescent, Marewa and Megan Woods says the whanau living ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Te Whānau a Apanui and the Crown initial Deed of Settlement I Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me...
    Māori: Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me te Karauna te Whakaaetanga Whakataunga Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me te Karauna i tētahi Whakaaetanga Whakataunga hei whakamihi i ō rātou tāhuhu kerēme Tiriti o Waitangi. E tekau mā rua ngā hapū o roto mai o Te Whānau ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Plan for 3,000 more public homes by 2025 – regions set to benefit
    Regions around the country will get significant boosts of public housing in the next two years, as outlined in the latest public housing plan update, released by the Housing Minister, Dr Megan Woods. “We’re delivering the most public homes each year since the Nash government of the 1950s with one ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Immigration settings updates
    Judicial warrant process for out-of-hours compliance visits 2023/24 Recognised Seasonal Employer cap increased by 500 Additional roles for Construction and Infrastructure Sector Agreement More roles added to Green List Three-month extension for onshore Recovery Visa holders The Government has confirmed a number of updates to immigration settings as part of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Poroporoaki: Tā Patrick (Patu) Wahanga Hohepa
    Tangi ngunguru ana ngā tai ki te wahapū o Hokianga Whakapau Karakia. Tārehu ana ngā pae maunga ki Te Puna o te Ao Marama. Korihi tangi ana ngā manu, kua hinga he kauri nui ki te Wao Nui o Tāne. He Toa. He Pou. He Ahorangi. E papaki tū ana ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Renewable energy fund to support community resilience
    40 solar energy systems on community buildings in regions affected by Cyclone Gabrielle and other severe weather events Virtual capability-building hub to support community organisations get projects off the ground Boost for community-level renewable energy projects across the country At least 40 community buildings used to support the emergency response ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • COVID-19 funding returned to Government
    The lifting of COVID-19 isolation and mask mandates in August has resulted in a return of almost $50m in savings and recovered contingencies, Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today. Following the revocation of mandates and isolation, specialised COVID-19 telehealth and alternative isolation accommodation are among the operational elements ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Appointment of District Court Judge
    Susie Houghton of Auckland has been appointed as a new District Court Judge, to serve on the Family Court, Attorney-General David Parker said today.  Judge Houghton has acted as a lawyer for child for more than 20 years. She has acted on matters relating to the Hague Convention, an international ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Government invests further in Central Hawke’s Bay resilience
    The Government has today confirmed $2.5 million to fund a replace and upgrade a stopbank to protect the Waipawa Drinking Water Treatment Plant. “As a result of Cyclone Gabrielle, the original stopbank protecting the Waipawa Drinking Water Treatment Plant was destroyed. The plant was operational within 6 weeks of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Govt boost for Hawke’s Bay cyclone waste clean-up
    Another $2.1 million to boost capacity to deal with waste left in Cyclone Gabrielle’s wake. Funds for Hastings District Council, Phoenix Contracting and Hog Fuel NZ to increase local waste-processing infrastructure. The Government is beefing up Hawke’s Bay’s Cyclone Gabrielle clean-up capacity with more support dealing with the massive amount ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Taupō Supercars revs up with Government support
    The future of Supercars events in New Zealand has been secured with new Government support. The Government is getting engines started through the Major Events Fund, a special fund to support high profile events in New Zealand that provide long-term economic, social and cultural benefits. “The Repco Supercars Championship is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • There is no recession in NZ, economy grows nearly 1 percent in June quarter
    The economy has turned a corner with confirmation today New Zealand never was in recession and stronger than expected growth in the June quarter, Finance Minister Grant Robertson said. “The New Zealand economy is doing better than expected,” Grant Robertson said. “It’s continuing to grow, with the latest figures showing ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Highest legal protection for New Zealand’s largest freshwater springs
    The Government has accepted the Environment Court’s recommendation to give special legal protection to New Zealand’s largest freshwater springs, Te Waikoropupū Springs (also known as Pupū Springs), Environment Minister David Parker announced today.   “Te Waikoropupū Springs, near Takaka in Golden Bay, have the second clearest water in New Zealand after ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • More support for victims of migrant exploitation
    Temporary package of funding for accommodation and essential living support for victims of migrant exploitation Exploited migrant workers able to apply for a further Migrant Exploitation Protection Visa (MEPV), giving people more time to find a job Free job search assistance to get people back into work Use of 90-day ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Strong export boost as NZ economy turns corner
    An export boost is supporting New Zealand’s economy to grow, adding to signs that the economy has turned a corner and is on a stronger footing as we rebuild from Cyclone Gabrielle and lock in the benefits of multiple new trade deals, Finance Minister Grant Robertson says. “The economy is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Funding approved for flood resilience work in Te Karaka
    The Government has approved $15 million to raise about 200 homes at risk of future flooding. More than half of this is expected to be spent in the Tairāwhiti settlement of Te Karaka, lifting about 100 homes there. “Te Karaka was badly hit during Cyclone Gabrielle when the Waipāoa River ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Further business support for cyclone-affected regions
    The Government is helping businesses recover from Cyclone Gabrielle and attract more people back into their regions. “Cyclone Gabrielle has caused considerable damage across North Island regions with impacts continuing to be felt by businesses and communities,” Economic Development Minister Barbara Edmonds said. “Building on our earlier business support, this ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • New maintenance facility at Burnham Military Camp underway
    Defence Minister Andrew Little has turned the first sod to start construction of a new Maintenance Support Facility (MSF) at Burnham Military Camp today. “This new state-of-art facility replaces Second World War-era buildings and will enable our Defence Force to better maintain and repair equipment,” Andrew Little said. “This Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Foreign Minister to attend United Nations General Assembly
    Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta will represent New Zealand at the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York this week, before visiting Washington DC for further Pacific focussed meetings. Nanaia Mahuta will be in New York from Wednesday 20 September, and will participate in UNGA leaders ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Midwives’ pay equity offer reached
    Around 1,700 Te Whatu Ora employed midwives and maternity care assistants will soon vote on a proposed pay equity settlement agreed by Te Whatu Ora, the Midwifery Employee Representation and Advisory Service (MERAS) and New Zealand Nurses Association (NZNO), Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today. “Addressing historical pay ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • New Zealand provides support to Morocco
    Aotearoa New Zealand will provide humanitarian support to those affected by last week’s earthquake in Morocco, Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced today. “We are making a contribution of $1 million to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to help meet humanitarian needs,” Nanaia Mahuta said. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Government invests in West Coast’s roading resilience
    The Government is investing over $22 million across 18 projects to improve the resilience of roads in the West Coast that have been affected by recent extreme weather, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins confirmed today.  A dedicated Transport Resilience Fund has been established for early preventative works to protect the state ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Government invests in Greymouth’s future
    The Government has today confirmed a $2 million grant towards the regeneration of Greymouth’s CBD with construction of a new two-level commercial and public facility. “It will include a visitor facility centred around a new library. Additionally, it will include retail outlets on the ground floor, and both outdoor and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Nanaia Mahuta to attend PIF Foreign Ministers’ Meeting
    Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta will attend the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, in Suva, Fiji alongside New Zealand’s regional counterparts. “Aotearoa New Zealand is deeply committed to working with our pacific whanau to strengthen our cooperation, and share ways to combat the challenges facing the Blue Pacific Continent,” ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • PREFU shows no recession, growing economy, more jobs and wages ahead of inflation
    Economy to grow 2.6 percent on average over forecast period Treasury not forecasting a recession Inflation to return to the 1-3 percent target band next year Wages set to grow 4.8 percent a year over forecast period Unemployment to peak below the long-term average Fiscal Rules met - Net debt ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • New cancer centre opens in Christchurch
    Prime Minister Chris Hipkins and Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall proudly opened the Canterbury Cancer Centre in Christchurch today. The new facility is the first of its kind and was built with $6.5 million of funding from the Government’s Infrastructure Reference Group scheme for shovel-ready projects allocated in 2020. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Government invests in top of the south’s roading resilience
    $12 million to improve the resilience of roads in the Nelson, Marlborough and Tasman regions Hope Bypass earmarked in draft Government Policy Statement on land transport $127 million invested in the top of the south’s roads since flooding in 2021 and 2022 The Government is investing over $12 million to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago
  • New Zealanders continue to support the revitalisation of te reo as we celebrate Te Wiki o te Reo Mā...
    Ko tēnei te wiki e whakanui ana i tō tātou reo rangatira. Ko te wā tuku reo Māori, e whakanuia tahitia ai te reo ahakoa kei hea ake tēnā me tēnā o tātou, ka tū ā te Rātū te 14 o Mahuru, ā te 12 o ngā hāora i te ahiahi. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago
  • New Wildlife Act to better protect native species
    The 70-year-old Wildlife Act will be replaced with modern, fit-for-purpose legislation to better protect native species and improve biodiversity, Minister of Conservation Willow-Jean Prime has announced.   “New species legislation is urgently needed to address New Zealand’s biodiversity crisis,” Willow-Jean Prime said.   “More than 4,000 of our native species are currently ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago
  • Further safety initiatives for Auckland City Centre
    Central and Local Government are today announcing a range of new measures to tackle low-level crime and anti-social behaviour in the Auckland CBD to complement Police scaling up their presence in the area. “Police have an important role to play in preventing and responding to crime, but there is more ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2023-09-28T22:08:59+00:00